Chatting about Life, Creative Business, and Motherhood with my Mom!

Angela Palmer is the founder of Angela Monica, a blog that encourages mothers to explore their creativity, find their identity outside of being a mom, and live their best life. She also happens to be my mom! In this episode of the Creativity & Heart podcast, we’re sitting down to chat about creativity, and how she juggled being a mom, working a full time job, and running a creative business.

Listen to the Creativity & Heart Podcast

Tune in to hear what my mom has to say about juggling motherhood and business, going outside of your comfort zone to explore new creative outlets, and a life lesson learned in 2020.

I hope you enjoy this interview! Mom brings so much joy and wisdom to the podcast. She might even make you laugh!

Tips for Balancing Motherhood & Business

“I’m not going to sugar coat it… it’s not easy. When you have children, your time is divided. And of course your first priority is to your children. But, what I’ve found is that you have to be willing to sacrifice.” – Angela Palmer

I have 2 siblings, and we’re all adults now, so my mom knows a little something about being a mom, working outside the home, and running a business on the side!

Here are tips she shared about balancing motherhood and business:

1. Find opportunities to create whenever you can. If your business is something that you’re hand making, can you make things at night while watching TV with the family, or while your kids nap or do their homework?
2. Use Your Time Wisely. Time management is so important as a business owner in general, and as a mom, you’re not going to have as much time to yourself.
3. Find ways to occupy your kids when you need to work. Can you have your kids read a book while you do something? If you can have them help you with what you’re doing, that’s great too (see tip 4).
4. Get your kids involved in your business, if you can! Helping out with your business can be such a great learning experience for kids. Growing up, my mom had my siblings and I help make labels, pack and pick decorations for craft fairs. I even got to start trying my hand at graphic design by making inventory sheets and signs!
5. Don’t forget to rest! Get proper rest when you need it. It’s hard to be creative when you’re tired.

Tips for Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone to Explore New Creative Outlets

As a creative, you exercise your creative skills daily. However, going outside of your “creative comfort zone” to explore new creative outlets can be so fun and help you strengthen your “creative muscles.”

My mom is so brave about this, here are a few tips that she shared about trying out new hobbies:

1. Sit down and think about different things that you enjoy/are interested in doing. What would you enjoy doing outside of work if you had time? Maybe it’s something you’ve tried in the past? Make a list.
2. Prioritize your list. What do you want to try first?
3. Try one thing at a time. Don’t jump from one thing to another too fast. Give yourself time to decide if you like something and if you would like to explore it some more.
4. When you’re ready, move on to the next thing. Once you’ve exhausted a hobby (if you do!) go ahead and move on. If you know right away that you hate something, feel free to go ahead and move on to the next thing. (see #5)
5. Struggling with something is not the same thing as hating it! Sometimes, we struggle with something at first, then end up loving it. Give everything a fair chance, but if you truly know it’s not for you, you don’t have to force yourself to like it.
6. You’ll know it when you find something that you enjoy. Even if it’s hard at first, it feels right.

For more on finding creative inspiration and exploring creative outlets, see episode 13 of the Creativity and Heart podcast. Exploring different creative hobbies can expand our creativity when we come back to what we do for a living.

Connect with Angela! Links Mentioned in This Episode

• Listen to Angela’s podcast, Happy Life with Angela Monica
• Visit Angela’s website and shop (designed by me!)
• Connect with Angela on Instagram and Facebook